YEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on Friday chaired consultations with the participation of national security service, police, justice ministry representatives and investigators to discuss seizure of the police regiment in Yerevan.

President Sargsyan noted importance of doing everything for a peaceful solution to the crisis. The Armenian leader called to draw lessons from the difficult situation we are all faced with.

During the meeting, he expressed condolences to the family of killed Colonel Arthur Vanoyan.

The Armenian leader added that the idea to solve problems through violence and force is very dangerous and is fraught with serious consequences for the entire country.

“I call on the militia who seized the police regiment to display restraint and not to threaten others’ lives by their provocative actions,” he said, calling to release the hostages and to surrender their weapons.

The President warned all those who are dissatisfied with the reality against “undermining the foundations of our statehood.”

“I urge all members of our society to exercise their political and civil rights exclusively in a peaceful way and within the law,” Sargsyan said.

Everyone must realize the real threats that provocations and extremal steps may contain.

President urged the representatives of the law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint and act “within the rule of law”.  He assured that the government would act patiently “without making society a hostage”, and would not act “in a traditional way for such situations”.